Benefits and Fees

What Can You Receive, and How Much Will We Charge?

Some men and women who apply for Social Security disability benefits — including those seeking financial support for a disabled child — proceed with unrealistic expectations about how much they can receive. Others go all the way through an appeal or give up without seeking a lawyer's advice because they believe legal help will be unaffordable, or that legal expertise is unnecessary.

At the Cincinnati, Ohio based offices of Michael Mooney and Stephen Olden, we can help. Every Social Security disability case must be assessed on its own merits, and we are absolutely committed to providing accurate information about benefits and fees. We have the knowledge and experience to estimate the dollar value of your potential benefits.

The dollar amount of monthly benefit checks will depend on numerous factors. Essentially:

SSDI benefits for people with a recent working history — and some widows, widowers and children — depend on how long the claimant or family member worked and how much money he or she earned.

As of 2012, SSI benefits — for people disabled from work with few assets and little income — were capped at a maximum of $698 per month.

Other forms of compensation you receive or benefits received by family members may also be important components.

Social Security benefits can be awarded for 12 months prior to the application date if you were disabled during that time — but checks never begin until a five-month waiting period has passed.

As for attorney fees, recognize that:

You will pay an attorney fee onlyif your claim succeeds — and in addition, we cap our 25% attorney fee at $6,000. So if you recover maybe $32,000 in retro-active benefits, our fee is still only $6,000, not $8,000. On the other hand, if you recover $16,000, our fee is only $4,000. We charge only 25 percent of the retroactive benefits you receive if and when your claim is approved. Specifically, these benefits cover the time that passed up to when the claim is approved.

You may also be responsible for certain costs associated with your case such as fees for medical records or a doctor's opinion — typically zero to a few hundred dollars (again, assuming we win your case).

For Honest Counsel and Caring Representation, Call 513-721-2222

When you contact us, you do not have to be concerned that you will meet an attorney who talks down to you or does not care what you are going through. We will not mislead you — and we strive to provide accurate, dependable information about benefits and fees, whether or not we ultimately handle your case.